Buying your first home is a thrilling time in life. You’re getting your very own space and can decorate and design it to fit your dreams. And one of the greatest things about about making the leap right now is the power of modern technology to find you the best apps for first home buyers.
In this day and age, few things get done without a phone app. We rely on our devices to service us from dusk till dawn. So if you’re a first home buyer, or just a home buyer, you don’t need to do this alone. There are some amazing phone apps out there that facilitate the entire process.
From saving for that deposit to virtually designing your new living room, we’re rounding up the best apps for first home buyers to help you every step of the way.
Saving for the deposit – Pocketbook
We all know how tough it is to save up for a deposit. Seeing those zeros can be pretty daunting, but you just have to start small. For the people at Pocketbook, “there are exactly two ways to save money; either by spending less or spending smarter.” And we couldn’t agree more!
How it works: you connect your bank account to the app (don’t worry, it’s secure) and they track all your spends—utilities, groceries, dining out, shopping, and then categorise them. They also send alerts about payments due.
What we love: they suggest tips on how to budget your expenses and work towards that goal. Another great feature of this app is the records of all your transactions. Gone are the days of paying sneaky monthly subscriptions to things you don’t use. Here, you see all your spends in one clear, aesthetically pleasing place.
Looking for your dream home – Soho
So you’re ready to buy your first home but haven’t found it yet? We got you. The Soho app has thousands of listings throughout Australia for you to browse through.
How it works: You can simply start browsing listings on the web or phone app. But there’s a smarter way to do it—set up your match profile which tells us exactly what you’re looking for and we’ll automatically send you property matches. You don’t even have to look anymore! Once you’ve shortlisted your favourite properties, you can DM the respective agents instantly to ask questions and schedule inspections.
What we love: hate to brag but Soho’s technology is what really gives us the edge. The more you swipe, the better your matches will be. Our algorithm learns what you like (and what you don’t) and improves on the listings we send you.
Getting a loan – Soho Home Loans
Are we going to toot our own horn again? Well, yes.
The thing is, what we’ve done is give every home buyer (and renter) the tools they need to make this an easier experience. And finding a suitable lender is one of those must-haves. There’s a lot of choice out there and it’s time-consuming getting quotes from each supplier. So we’ve got an easier route for you in our app.
How it works: you fill in your details and we connect you with our team of experts to find the best loan out there for you.
What we love: when you connect with our team, you’re not only talking to one lender but a growing panel. This way, you’re spending less time on each potential bank.
Setting up utilities in your new home – Soho for Renters
Did we mention we help you set up your new home too? Within the same app that you find your dream home and get a loan for it, you can also coordinate your utilities. Talk about efficiency!
How it works: once you’ve secured your new home, we offer a range of services to set everything up through Soho for Renters—utilities, general cleaning, internet, gas, electricity, Foxtel, even removalists. Tell us what you need and we’ll get you the best deals on it.
What we love: it’s all there in one place! Every task you could think of that would normally take hours out of your day. Instead of spending time calling each service provider, we do it for you and have everything ready for the day you move in. Plus, it’s free!
Decorating – Houzz
An app loved the world over, Houzz helps you design and decorate your spaces. It’s free to use and gives you tens of thousands of homes to get you inspired. You can also shop while you browse, which really helps your dream come to life.
How it works: you simply sign up and start browsing. Create ideabooks with all your saved design inspiration. And when you’re ready, connect with local professionals to get the job done.
What we love: the collaboration tool is an amazing way for you to show your contractor or designer what you’re looking for. You can use Sketch to draw on your visuals for precision and creativity. Truly one of the best apps for first home buyers.
Renovating – Magic Plan
There comes a time in every home buyer’s life where they need to do some renovating. And if the time for you is now, you should download the Magic Plan app. It will make it infinitely easier for you to communicate with your designers and tradespeople when you give them concise floor plans. Why we think it’s one of the best apps for home buyers? Because even your contractor will thank you for it.
How it works: you use the app’s technology to generate the floor plan of your home and can upload it onto a cloud accessed by you and the professionals renovating your home.
What we love: it facilitates the whole collaboration process and saves a bunch of time that would typically be spent meeting with your contractors. They can also give you more precise quotes and estimates this way.
Cleaning, moving & general services – Airtasker
Imagine being able to connect with people to do a job you don’t want to do. With Airtasker, this is exactly what they offer. Whether it’s removing a piece of furniture you no longer want or assembling that shelving unit you’ve got no time for, with this app, you can find someone for the task.
How it works: post a short write up of what you need and they’ll present you with a list of “Taskers” who are up to the job, along with their profiles. You then make your choice and boom, the work is done.
What we love: the app is easy to use, safe and secure. The range of services offered by people of the app is astonishing. You can even hire movers! Their moving service comes with interest and you can book it as late as the day before. A real nifty tool for every home buyer.
Shopping for furniture – IKEA Place
We all know and love Ikea. Their functional pieces come in designs diverse enough to suit even the pickiest home buyers and at prices that are hard to beat. And now available on the App Store is their Ikea Place app that allows you to virtually fit their furniture in your home. More than 800 million people shopped at Ikea in 2020. By simplifying the selection process, Ikea has made it to our list of the best apps for first home buyers.
How it works: you use your phone or iPad to scan your room and then start browsing their selection of items. When you find one you want to visualise in the space, you point the device in that area and drag and drop the piece into it.
What we love: it can be overwhelming looking at their endless catalogue and seeing gorgeous photos of room layouts, but with the app, you can start slow. Piece together a look that works for you, item by item. And when you’re settled, you can use the app to purchase that item.
Shopping and decorating – Rooomy
This is another fantastic app that first home buyers can use for decorating and shopping. See the latest home design trends and browse furniture that might fit in your new home. The Rooomy app also features a shopping tool allowing you to purchase items you like directly from your device.
How it works: you generate a virtual room by uploading photos of the space onto the app. Their technology works with you to identify where the walls are and builds you a 3D rendering. You can then start designing.
What we love: from their partnerships with big brands such as Amazon and Pottery Barn, you can start envisioning your home and shopping for it instantly. If you need the ok from house mates or family you’re living with, save and share the designs with them too.
We’re fortunate enough to live in a world where a simple lift of the finger can get you the assistance you need. So why not take advantage of that? Buying a new home is a big enough step, and these phone apps help you find your stride.
And if you’re in the hunting phase of the home buying process, don’t forget to browse our search page to check out some amazing listings available right now. But don’t just stop there, download our app to get the full Soho experience. Just remember to shortlist or swipe left on our listings so we can send you others that better match what you’re looking for. And stay tuned for our next feature on the best apps for home buyers.
